Please, Let's Talk
by McEvoyer
Summary: Post 2x19. Emma and Snow have a conversation about going back home and Emma cracks under the pressure of recent events. Just a little idea that wouldn't leave me alone!


**Hey there! This is just an idea that wouldn't leave me alone after I watched "Lacey". Hope you all like it! :)**

**Alas, I do not own OUAT.**

Emma was quiet the whole way home, staring out the window at the passing scenery. There were so many things she wanted to say to her, but Snow didn't want to push it. No, she _couldn't _push it. Pushing it would only push her daughter father away. She just wished they could talk like they used to. With so much going on it lately it was becoming more and more difficult to have any kind of conversation with one another.

David's warm touch on her hand drew her from her reverie and she looked over at him to meet his reassuring smile. He didn't need to say anything; his actions spoke volumes. They said, "I'm here. Everything will be okay." Snow found herself smiling back at him as she squeezed his hand.

Initially, the thought of going back home to the Enchanted Forest seemed impractical to Snow. After all, she'd seen was it was like now – a far cry from the world they had known and loved. Her husband's hope of restoring the kingdom was more of a romantic notion than practical thinking and she repeatedly told him as much. But he was persistent. Charming was adamant that it would help her cope with her guilt; not to mention what being at home would do for her morale in general. And the more she thought about her life there, the more she longed to return to it. It was where she was from – it was home. Going back there and having a fresh start became desirable. More desirable than she ever thought possible. It was a chance of a new beginning.

But she would not go without her family. She would not go without Emma or Henry.

_That_ _she _was adamant about.

* * *

Emma realized that giving the silent treatment wasn't exactly the most adult way of handling the situation but she was afraid to speak for fear of saying the wrong thing. She had an inkling for a while that David was itching to go home and ride horses and engage in swordplay and whatever else people did there but she never suspected Mary Margaret to share in his sentiment. In fact, Emma assumed she'd be against it. Yet apparently she was now singing a different tune.

Sure Emma was from there originally but this world was her home; it was the only place she knew whether it had been cruel to her or not. She had seen what the Enchanted Forest was like and needless to say it didn't paint a pretty picture.

And there wasn't just herself to factor into this messy equation; there was Henry, too. She couldn't just uproot her son, especially not now with all these family connections that were cropping up all over the place. It just wasn't feasible.

Her parents had to know that.

* * *

David dropped them off at the house before driving back to the dwarves to lend a hand and that, along with Henry out bonding with Neal, meant that Emma and Mary Margaret were alone in the apartment. Which meant that Mary Margaret was going to make her talk. Which Emma didn't want to do. Not yet, anyway.

She hurried inside and rapidly took off her jacket and hat and flung them onto the table. She was just about to start at the stairs when her mother called at her gently. "Emma," she said, "I don't think your jacket belongs on the table."

Emma groaned. She was hoping she'd get away with it. With a heavy sigh, she collected her coat and hooked it beside the door, presenting to the brunette for her approval.

"That's better," the woman smirked from behind the counter. "Don't forget the hat."

The blonde snatched at the headwear, doing little to hide her disgust. "I can't believe you made me wear this," she grumbled while hooking it next to her jacket.

"I didn't force you to wear it," Mary Margaret countered.

"No, but you guilted me into it with your pouty puppy-dog-eyes." Emma crossed her arms.

"It was cold out," she shrugged. "I didn't want you to get sick. Besides, I thought it looked cute."

"Whatever." Emma made another move toward the staircase.

"Emma, please. Can we just talk?"

"I don't feel like talking."

Her mother narrowed her eyes. "Well, too bad, 'cause I do." Though she didn't budge, Emma's face softened. It still amazed her how childlike she could feel around the woman. "Please, Em. Meet me halfway here." She took out two mugs and raised them before her, signalling her intention to make hot chocolate.

Wordlessly, the blonde took up a seat at the table and sighed in relent. She pretended not to notice her brunette's amused grin as she prepared the drinks.

Mary Margaret hadn't made them hot chocolate since the curse broke and she hated to admit it, but the thought of having a cup slightly excited her. She missed the days when they lived together and often had the beverage as they discussed their respective days. In a strange way, having a hot chocolate was kind of like 'their' thing. While some preferred to go a bar and have a couple of beers after work, Emma liked to go home and flake in front of the T.V with her best friend with a hot cocoa. It was the simple things like that she missed the most.

When the cocoa was made, Mary Margaret took a seat in front of her, her eyes never leaving the blonde. She handed a cup to Emma. "There you go; extra cinnamon – just the way you like it."

Emma took a sip and instantly relaxed. "Thanks."

They sat for a few quiet moments, letting the hot liquid heat them, both not really sure what to say.

"I'm sorry we sprung it on you," her mom offered as an opener.

The blonde snorted. "You guys kept the mother-of-all secrets from me." Searching her drink for courage, she drew in a deep breath and wrapped her fingers around the cup.

"You make it sound like we were intentionally hiding it from you. Emma, that's not what we were doing."

"That's exactly what you were doing. You were lying to me for weeks. Every time David went out with the dwarves, he was helping them grow beans so you could go back home. You knew that and you didn't tell me," Emma asserted, unable to hide how hurt she was. "I thought we didn't keep things from each other."

Mary Margaret's face contorted at her daughter's words, wishing that she could just wrap her up in her arms and never let her go. "We don't," she replied meekly. "I'm sorry, Emma. I wasn't really thinking. I wasn't even sure if I wanted what your father wanted but the more he kept bringing it up and more unstable Storybrooke became, I started to see his point of view and, I don't know, it started to look like a good option. The reason we didn't mention it was because there was so much going on here."

"So you were what? Holding off until you could find the worst possible time to tell me that you want to leave Storybrooke for good? To leave the only world I have ever known?" Emma pushed the cup away from her, suddenly not thirsty anymore. She resisted the urge to pout.

The two women looked at each other, their eyes filled with unshed tears.

"Emma," Mary Margaret breathed as she reached out to take the blonde's hand, but Emma jerked it away.

"No; don't look at me like that."

"Look at you like what?"

Emma sat back in her chair and crossed her arms as if constructing a barrier. "Like I'm the only thing in the room. I can't be angry at you when you look at me like that."

Instinctively, Mary Margaret rested her elbows on the table and leaned forward. "I'm sorry for not telling you sooner. I truly am. Are you really that angry?"

Her daughter's voice was low and rushed, like she was trying to get it all out in one quick swoop. "I just never thought we'd be having this conversation considering our time spent in the Enchanted Forest. I mean, you know what it's like there; you know that it's not the same place you remembered. And you want me to just drop everything and go with you? Leave behind everything I have ever known, the only place I have ever known? This world may have sucked but it's still my home. I can't just leave; it's not that simple." She squeezed her eyes shut and buried her face in her hands. "This… this is all too much," she mumbled.

"I know."

"No I don't think you do." She raised her head to meet her mother's concerned eyes. "I'm sorry but for me it's been one major thing after another that piles on top of me, sucking all the air out of my lungs." Her voice now wavering, she cursed the tears that started to trickle down her cheeks. There was just too many things going on at one time, too many feelings building up in her core, threatening to explode out of her. "Just when I think I get the chance to take a step back and breathe for a few minutes, something else happens. And I don't think it's ever going to stop!"

Just as a soft sob escaped her pursed lips, Mary Margaret was over to her, holding her tight and running her fingers through her hair. She didn't say anything except soothing reassurances, and Emma felt the pressure alleviate in the form of tears. "It's okay, Emma. It's okay. You don't have to do it all on your own. Let us in; let us help you." The words, the actions – Emma had never felt safer in her life. Being comforted by her mother was just…right.

"I hate crying," she laughed sadly, still sniffling into her mother's blouse. Mary Margaret waited patiently for her to continue. "It's just…since we've come home it's been full-speed ahead, you know? Greg Mendel literally crashed into town, Hook and Cora showed up and Belle lost her memory, not to mention Regina and Cora tried to kill us and August was turned back into a little boy. Oh, and I was reunited with Neal who also happens to be Henry's father and the son of Rumpelstiltskin. I mean, what?! How do these things keep happening to me? Why can't we just stop for a moment and take it all in?" She pulled away and smeared the tears with her sleeve. "Out of all the people in the world, I had to fall in love with him? What were the odds of that happening? It's so messed up."

The brunette leaned forward and wiped away any additional tear that fell, offering a small smile. "I guess fate has a sense of humour. And no matter who his father is, he's still here and he's really trying to be a good dad to Henry."

"I know and it's really sweet. But I never thought I'd see him again; I never wanted to see him again. He was a part of my life I wanted to forget ever happened and now I can't look past what happened between us. Every day I see him and I'm reminded of what I went through."

"He broke your heart," the woman stated.

"He broke my spirit. He was the first person I let in, the first person I ever really loved and he betrayed me. I don't care what his reasons were, he still did it."

Mary Margaret stood up and rested against the edge of the table. "And you've never gotten over it."

Emma hung her head. "I hate being so transparent. I thought things were supposed to get easier when you get older."

"Afraid not," the brunette chuckled.

"This is all too much," she repeated. Emotion getting the better of her again, she inhaled deeply, settling herself. To her surprise, her mother, though exhibiting some hesitation, gently framed her face with her hands.

"It will get better. Things will calm down. Everything will sort itself out."

Gazing at her mother, a thought struck Emma and she had to ask while she had the chance. "What if I said 'no'? Would you…would you go back to the Enchanted Forest without me?"

Mary Margaret had never looked so upset before. It was like someone had ripped her away from the thing she loved most. "Emma, how could even ask that? We would never go without you. Without you there would be nothing for us back home. I didn't jump into a portal to be with you only to have us separated again by choice. We're never being separated from you again. Ever. Do you understand?"

Emma nodded timidly, still out of her emotional depth.

"I think you underestimate how much we love you. There is nothing in this world – in any world – we care for more than you. You are everything to us, don't you know that? God Emma, sometimes I just want to shake you and tell you how much you mean to us, how much you mean to everyone. It's like everyone but you can see how amazing you are." She brushed back the hair off her face and smiled widely. "Home is where your family is; wherever you and Henry are, we are."

Emma listened intently, trying and most likely failing to hide the swell of love emanating from her heart. No one had ever spoken to her like that before – there was such certainty in her voice that made it impossible not to believe. Yet it didn't change the fact that they were still growing beans and dreaming of living the rest of their lives back in their kingdom. "But you still want to go back." It wasn't a question.

Mary Margaret sighed.

"I'll take that as a yes."

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss it."

Emma raised her shoulder, her brow furrowed. "Storybrooke isn't your home."

"In some ways it is and in some ways it isn't. It could be good for all of us there. We can start over and have a shot at being the family we've always wanted to be."

"But we have a family here, albeit a highly dysfunctional one. Henry has Neal and Gold and Regina… It's complicated."

"I'm sure we could work it out if we tried."

Emma stood up now to be level with the brunette. "But it's not just that. It's me too. I know that I am a part of your world, but I don't feel like it. I feel like I don't belong there. The Enchanted Forest is full of magic and intrigue - billowing hills and snow-capped mountains and lush landscapes. You lived in a castle and had servants and ran a kingdom. That's your world." Without realizing it, the blonde began to pace back and forth, as if she was talking to herself as well as her mother. "I've lived in foster homes and stole cars and went to prison. I've slept on sides of roads and in seedy motels and struggled to survive. That's _my _world. I may have come from your land but I made my way here. I blazed my own trail and fought to make myself and be somebody. Whether I liked it or not, this world shaped me. I'm no princess. I don't belong in a castle. I'm not Enchanted Forest material."

Mary Margaret beamed. "Don't you see? You're a fighter. You survived the cruelties this world dealt you and you overcame them. That's _definitely _Enchanted Forest material."

That stopped her in her tracks. She gazed at her, lips downturned. "I just don't think I could leave all this behind. I'm not spontaneous; I don't act on impulse. Leaving here is a huge decision and I don't know if I'll ever be able to make it or not."

Sensing the end of the conversation, Mary Margaret took her daughter's hands in hers and rubbed circles on her knuckles. "No one expects you to make this decision yet. To be honest, I haven't even allowed myself enough time yet but we just wanted to include you and show you that there are other ways and other places for us to be together as a family. A place where things could be better for you. You go, we go. You stay, we stay and that is how it's going to be no matter what you choose."

Emma straightened. "Okay."

"But I am glad we had a chance to air a few things and just talk. I miss that about us."

Emma finally cracked a smile. "I do, too," she admitted. "Stop that," she ordered good-naturedly, tugging at her mother's hands.

"Stop what?" Mary Margaret laughed.

"Stop looking at me like that," she clarified, bowing her head sheepishly.

"I'm looking at you like this because I love you, Emma," she explained happily. "Now why don't I make us up another hot chocolate and we can sit in front on the T.V. and wait for the boys to come home?" She picked up the two mugs of the now cold cocoa and shuffled over the sink.

"Sounds good to me."

When she knew Mary Margaret was lost in her own little world brewing up a storm in the kitchen and humming to herself, Emma whispered aloud something that she hoped she could say to her mother at some point in the near future. "I love you too, mom." And smiling to herself, she took up position on the couch and waited for her to join her.

**So what did you all think? I really think this family needs to sit down and figure out their own issues before they even consider hopping back to FTL but I don't think that'll happen on the show! Haha anyway I hope you all enjoyed and please, please review and let me know what you thought! :) **


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